Surcingle



(No Model.)

M. R. DOWLIN.

SURGINGLE.

No. 257,672. Patented MayQ, 1882 EVER Prmvmhognohef. wauhngtnn, D. c.

" f l*lllNyiTEn STATES PATENT EEIcE.

`MAESIaAIm E. DOWLIN, oE `NORTE ADAMS, MASSACHUSETTS.

SURCINGLE.

SPECIFICATION forming partof LettersPatent No. 257,672, dated May 9, 1882.

Application filed December l2, 1881, (No model.)

To all whom 'it may concern Be it known that I, MARSHALL It. DOWLIN, of North Adams, Berk-shire county, Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Surcingles, of which the following is a specification- The ordinary surcingle used to hold the blanket upon a horse, as is, well known, is a more or less padded strap, similar to a small harness-saddle, which bears upon the back of the horse, on the ridge of the backbone and on either side thereof, and is so held by a strap, which is buckled around the blanketed body of the horse. Owing to the Ilexible nature of the pads of this surcingle it is liable to gradually work over the backbone from one side to the other, and thus become displaced by the various movements of the horse, particularly as he lies down or gets up, thereby allowing theblanketto become displaced and frequently l injured by his hoofs, at the same time leaving his body unprotected. Moreover, if the surcingle be strapped tight, with a view to prevent this displacement, the strain is exerted chietly on the ridge of the backbone, which renders the horse' uneasy or irritated, and particularly is this the case with a sick horse or with one whose back is sore or galledfrom the saddle. I have therefore appreciated the need of an improved sureingle which would be so formed as to apply its pressure upon the soft flesh on` either side of the backbone without bearing appreciabl y, or at all, upon the ridge, so as to prevent the tendency to slip over the ridge from one side to the other, or to irritate the backbone, as in the existing surcingles. This I effect by forming a surcingle with two sti or inliexible pads or bearers joined by a iexible connection or hinge, and the whole provided with a strap or band to be buckled around the body of the horse in the usual manner.

My invention consists in the generalconstruction of the various parts, as more fully hereinafter described und claimed.

In the annexed drawings, Figure 1 presents an elevation of my improved surcingle viewed portion of the buckling strap or band being cutoff. Fig. 3 is an inverted plan or inversion of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is an end view in the same direction as Fig. 1, showing, however, only the pads and their connector in section on a larger scale.

In the drawings, a a indicate two inflexible pads or bearers, which form the main portion of the surcingle, and which arejoiued together 6o at their approaching ends by a flexible hinge strap or connector, b. The pads in form accommodate the eshy curves or hollows on either side ofthe backbone of the horse, as will be understood from Fig. 1.V l prefer to make 6 5' these pads a a from solid blocks of light strong wood and to form the connector Z: of a strap of leather fastened at its ends to the pad-blocks aa. Thepads and theireonnector are attached,

ofcourse, to a bucklingstrap, d, which is passed 7o around the blanketed body of the horse and buckled on one side, as seen in Fig. 1, the pads bearing, as usual, on the top of the back to hold the blanket in place, as shown in Fig. 1,

but in an improved manner, as hereinafter described.

Incase the strap d be made of leather it may be riveted directly to the connector b and also to the pads a a; but if it be made of woven webbing, as I prefer for cheap surcingles, then 8o the web is attached simply by one or two rivets, c e, (see Figs. 1 and 2,) to the center of the connector b, and it passes through or under little leather loops h h, fastened to the blocks a, near their outer ends, as seen best in Figs. 1 85 and 2. One end of the web is provided with a projecting leather tougue,f, stitched thereto, while the otherend is provided with a buckle, g, whereby the strap may be buckled upon the horse in the usual manner, as will be under- 9o wili be distributed lengthwise on its own texture, andwill not be exerted on the rivets or fastening e, by which it is held to the connector b. thus rendering the connection strong and simple and obviating any tendency of the connection or strain to tear the web, as will be roo readily uudcrstooth I am aware that harnesssaddles have sometimes been made with wooden blocks; but my invention is obviously distinct from this.

What I claim'isl. A surcingle formed with two distinct inflexible bearing-pads, separated so aste freely admit the ridge of the backbone between them, :ind adapted to' bear on the' fleshy pnrtsof the back, on either side of the ridge, with n ilexible connection between said pads, adaptedv to span the backbone without bearing seriously thereon, together with :t buckling-strap vfor fastening the same around the blanketed body of the horse,`s'ubstantially as herein shown and described.

2. A surcingle constructed with bearingpads formed of Wooden blocks joined by a. flexible connection or hinge, substantially as :md for the purpose set forth.

4. The combination, in it surcingle, with inflexible bearing-pads and their connector, of

the'buckling-strap d, fastened to the middle of the connector, with loops h h near the outer ends of the pads, through which the strap is loosely passed, substantially as herein shown and described.

MARSHALL R. DOWLIN.

Witnesses:

GEORGE FRENCH, `EH.I BEER. 

